FILE - This Jan. 31, 2018 file photo shows a Lyft logo on a Lyft driver's car in Pittsburgh. Lyft officially kicked off the road show for its initial public offering Monday, March 18, 2019, with 30 million shares expected to cost between $62 and $68 per share. That would raise more than $2 billion for the San Francisco ride-hailing company, which could be valued in between $20 billion and $25 billion eventually. Lyft announced earlier this month that it intended to go public and has been in a race with Uber to be first to offer its stock to the public. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Lyft opens its IPO road show, to offer more than 30M shares

March 18, 2019 - 9:15 pm

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Lyft officially kicked off the road show for its initial public offering, saying Monday it plans to put more than 30 million shares up for sale with an anticipated price of between $62 and $68 per share.

That would raise more than $2 billion for the San Francisco ride-hailing company, pegging its market value at $20 billion to $25 billion, even though it hasn't been able to turn a profit yet.

It's the first time that Lyft has revealed how much money it hopes to raise in the IPO, and how much it believes it's worth. Those financial targets could still change as Lyft's investment bankers gauge demand for the company's stock leading up to the IPO pricing, which is expected to happen next week.

Lyft and Uber have raced to be first with an IPO, and Lyft's rival is expected to offer shares in the coming weeks.

Uber is hoping its larger ride-hailing service will justify a market value as high as $120 billion after its IPO is completed later this spring, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Lyft released financial details about the company for the first time this month, reporting $2.2 billion in revenue last year, more than double its $1.1 billion in revenue in 2017, but also $911 million in losses. Lyft has lost nearly $3 billion since 2012, but has brought in more than $5 billion in venture capital.

The company's executives warned that the company could struggle to turn a profit, despite a rapidly growing market share.

The company's share of the U.S. ride-hailing market was 39 percent in December 2018, up from 22 percent in December 2016, according to its filing. The $2.2 billion in revenue for 2018 was about double what it brought in the previous year.

Bookings, which represent Lyft's fares after subtracting taxes, tolls and tips, have been rising dramatically — a trend that the company intends to highlight to potential investors. Lyft's bookings surpassed $8 billion last year, 76 percent more than in 2017 and more than four times the number from 2016.

Lyft's recent market-share gains came as Uber was dogged by reports that drivers accosted passengers and that the company tolerated rampant sexual harassment internally. Those problems ultimately led its co-founder Travis Kalanick to resign. Uber has been working to repair its image under CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.

Lyft said it would offer 30,770,000 shares of its common stock to the public and give underwriters the option to buy up to 4,615,500 more shares.